Returning home
by mjg43
Summary: One-shot. Legolas returns home after the War of the Ring. For all the time Thranduil has been thinking his son is dead.


**Hi everyone, another story. This one is about Legolas returning home after the War of the Ring, his father thinks he is dead.**

Legolas walked through the dark forest of Mirkwood. It hadn't changed since the day he had left for Rivendell. It was quiet. He really looked forward to seeing his father again. He had really missed him. And his other friends. And his brother, Caranlas.

"Legolas!"

He turned around surprised. In front of him stood his brother, Caranlas. It was silence for a moment.

"Legolas," Caranlas whispered. His brother ran towards him and pulled him into an embrace.

"I missed you little brother."

Legolas tried to pull away from him. "What's wrong, Las?" Caranlas asked.

"Hurts," Legolas hated to admit it, but his wounds from the battle were still hurting.

"You're injured?"

Legolas shook his head. "No," he said. "Just tired. Where's ada?"

Caranlas said nothing. "Car?" Legolas asked worried.

"Ada is not feeling very well, Legolas," Caranlas explained.

"Why not?" Legolas was worried.

"He thinks you're dead," Caranlas said. "What?" Legolas exclaimed. Then he started to walk quickly.

"Wait!" Caranlas said. "Where are you going?"

"To ada," Legolas said. "He needs me. He needs to see I'm alive."

"But...," his brother protested.

But Legolas shook his head. "I need to hurry," he said and started running.

It was still a long way to the palace and Legolas was very tired, but he didn't care. He had to get to his father.

As soon as he arrived at the palace, many people approached him, not believing he was alive and back. He ran inside and met Galion, his father's advisor.

"Galion, where's my father?" Legolas asked. "In his room, my lord," Galion responded. "He hasn't left his room for weeks."

"Thank you," Legolas said. "Are you alright?" Galion asked. "You look tired."

"I'm fine," Legolas responded and hurried towards his father's room. There he hesitated whether he should enter or not. Why would his father think he was dead?

He knocked on the door. No response. He knocked on the door again. "Ada?" he asked. No response again. "Ada, it's me. I'm back."

When he got no response again he slowly opened the door and walked inside.

He froze at what he saw. His father was lying on his bed, probably sleeping. A big glass of wine was standing on his desk.

Slowly Legolas approached his father and sat down next to him on the bed.

"Ada?" he asked worried. Then he heard some footsteps running through the corridor and someone entered the room.

"Legolas?" Caranlas asked.

"Is he sleeping?" Legolas asked. Caranlas walked towards him. "Perhaps you need to talk to him," he suggested. "Perhaps he will listen to you and he will wake up."

Legolas nodded. "I'll try," he said and looked back at his father.

"I'll leave you alone, alright?" Caranlas stood up and left the room.

Legolas took his father's hand. "Ada," he said. "Please, wake up. I'm alive. Please, you need to wake up. I need you, Car needs you. Please..."

Legolas felt tears coming down his face but he didn't care. He buried his face in his father's clothes. "I should never have gone to Rivendell."

Suddenly he felt an arm around him. Legolas looked up. "Ada?" he asked confused.

"Ion nin," Thranduil whispered.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too," Thranduil said and tried to sit up.

"What took you so long?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," Legolas said. "I shouldn't have gone with the Fellowship."

"No," Thranduil said. "You did the right thing. You were very brave to go with the Fellowship."

Legolas said nothing. "How is Mirkwood?" he asked.

"Our people have missed you," Thranduil responded. "There are less spiders than before you left."

"Really?" Legolas asked. Thranduil nodded. "How are you?"

"Fine," Legolas responded. "Don't worry about me."

"You look tired," Thranduil said. "Are you injured somewhere?"

Legolas shook his head. "No," he lied. "And what is this then?" Thranduil pointed at the red spot on his shoulder.

"Nothing," Legolas lied. "Just a scratch."

"Let me have a look at it," Thranduil said. But Legolas shook his head.

"If you don't let me, I'll call a healer."

Legolas looked at him. No, he absolutely didn't want a healer. "Fine then," he said and carefully took off his shirt so Thranduil could see the bandages around his shoulder.

Thranduil looked at the wound. "A sword?" he asked.

Legolas nodded and winced in pain as his father touched it.

"Who put those bandages on it?" he asked.

"Aragorn did," Legolas responded. He thought back of the moment where he jumped in front of the sword that was about to hit Aragorn. He had saved his friend's life.

Thranduil smiled. He knew how much Legolas and Aragorn liked each other and how good they were befriended.

"I need to put some new bandages on it, alright?"

Legolas nodded as he let his father work. "Better?" Thrandu asked. Legolas nodded. "Thank you, ada," he said but then he started coughing.

"Ion nin?"

"I-I'm fine," Legolas continued coughing.

Thranduil stared at the blood at Legolas' chin. "Did something puncture your lung?"

"I don't know," Legolas said. Thranduil carefully felt Legolas' ribs. When he did that, he noticed how thin his son had become. Legolas had never weighed a lot, but this was not good. When he felt his son trying to pull away from the touch, he knew his ribs were broken.

He sighed. "Ada?" Legolas asked. "Don't worry, ion nin," Thranduil said. "You'll be fine."

"Did you eat much on your journey?"

"Why?" Legolas asked.

"I can count your ribs from here," Thranduil explained.

Legolas said nothing. "Perhaps you just need some rest right now," Thranduil suggested.

Legolas nodded and suddenly realized how tired he was. He slowly lay down next to his father on the bed.

"Remember, tomorrow I want to know everything that happened on your journey," Thranduil said with a smile.

Legolas nodded. "I will," he promised and closed his eyes. "I love you ada."

"I love you too, ion nin."


End file.
